Eau Claire County Board Chairman Bruce Willett says it would only include unincorporated areas within the county, like here in the Town of Seymour and in others like the Town of Washington.

He says it does not include incorporated towns or villages, like Augusta, Fairchild and Altoona.

But no matter who it affects, bars owners are already voicing their concerns.

To smoke or not to smoke.

"I don’t smoke. I quit 11 years ago, but I still believe the smoker who wants to smoke should have a place to do it also,” says Rick Brantner.

Brantner owns the Welcome Matt, a bar in the county south of Eau Claire.

He says he's against a county-wide smoking ban.

But the Eau Claire County Board has already passed on the City of Eau Claire's smoking ban resolution to a legal team to see if the county can adopt something similar.

Board members say the issue is public health.

"There's a great deal of studies and documentation that indicate that smoking is a huge health issue in this country,” says County Board Supervisor Colleen Bates.

Bates says the county also wants to go smoke-free to encourage the state to pass a ban.

"If you can't get the whole cheese, you take a piece of it,” says County Board Chairman Bruce Willett.

He says Eau Claire County would be the first in the state to go smoke-free.

But he admits it could take some time, especially with board elections just a week away.

"I think it's a healthy path to go, but it does have to go through a process and I would hope that we would allow that to happen,” says Bates.

Bar owners say it doesn't matter how long the process takes, the fact the county is even considering a ban is enough.

"I just wonder when it's gonna end...Can we stand out here and talk and have a cigarette? If it's not smoking, what's next?” asks Brantner.

The board probably won't discuss the issue until May.